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Burlington photog 'horrified' by exploitation of veteran image

During a White House press conference with Spain's prime minister, President Trump took time to address the backlash over calling protesting NFL players "SOBs."

The original photograph by Monica Donovan of Earl Granville at the Agoge event in Pittsfield in July, 2016, which was used without the consent of either party in selling political apparel.(Photo: Courtesy of Monica Donovan)

A Burlington-based photographer was "horrified" when she learned that her image of an amputee veteran was doctored to make it appear he was wearing an "I don't kneel" T-shirt.

Photographer Monica Donovan was freelancing for Outside Magazine in June 2016 when she took portraits of athletes including Earl Granville at the Agoge event at Riverside Farm in Pittsfield. Agoge is a 60-hour extreme challenge event for experienced endurance athletes and military veterans.

In a Saturday Facebook post, Donovan shared her shock about what she described as the illicit and immoral use of her image by "conservative media."

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The Daily Beast and other media outlets reported on Earl Granville's fight to remove his image from exploitation by websites hawking t-shirts with the "I don't kneel" meme written in white across a black t-shirt. In the original photo, his T-shirt stated, "Agoge." Vermont photographer Monica Donovan was working for Outside Magazine in July 2016 when she took portraits of athletes including Granville at the Agoge event at Riverside Farm in Pittsfield.(Photo: RYAN MERCER/FREE PRESS)

Media outlets reported last week on Granville's fight to remove his image from exploitation by websites hawking T-shirts with the "I don't kneel" meme written in white letters. In the original photo, his T-shirt states: "Agoge."

The meme is in response to athletes kneeling in protest during the national anthem before professional games. The practice started last year when former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt to express outrage about police brutality.

President Donald Trump on on Sept. 22 at an Alabama rally inspired more ball players to follow Kaepernick's lead when he said players should be punished for kneeling and called on sports fans to boycott games.

"He's a celeb in his own right," Donovan said of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard veteran who lost a leg in 2008 in Afghanistan. Granville from Scott Township, Pennsylvania, is a team member for Operation Enduring Warrior, a non-profit with a mission to honor and empower veterans.

"It was amazing how great they looked after two days of endurance events," Donovan said of her photographs of Granville and the other Agoge participants.

Donovan said friends had alerted her to the image's appropriation two or three weeks ago and she asked that it be taken down.

Monica Donovan is a Burlington-based photographer who took the picture of veteran Earl Granville in April 2017 that was doctored without her permission to make it look like Granville advocated against athletes taking a knee during the national anthem.(Photo: Judd Lamphere/Courtesy)

"I thought it was done with, and then it just blew up," Donovan said Tuesday.

In a telephone interview from Donovan's South End neighborhood studio, she said that photographers routinely have to deal with images being used without permission.

"The difference is what a horrifying narrative it was used for. It was a great disservice to veterans," Donovan said. "The underlying message and irony are just particularly disturbing in this case."

Donovan admitted she was also disappointed that she was not credited in stories from other media outlets that followed Granville's attempts to remove his image from apparel websites..

"I want to turn this into something positive though," Donovan said, "something to highlight the achievements of veterans."

Contact Nicole Higgins DeSmet at ndesmet@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1845. Follow her on Twitter @NicoleHDeSmet.